IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - Dogs in a cage look at passers-by at Yulin Big Market on Sunday, June 21, 2015 in Yulin, China. The Yulin âdog meat festivalâ is underway around the summer solstice in China. Thousands of dogs, many of them stolen pets, were trucked in from around the country by traders wanting to profit. After suffering for days crammed into cages without food or water, the animals were butchered within sight of each other. Humane Society International, working with local activists, is making major inroads to stop the cruelty, and local authorities are feeling the pressure. Between large protests, international media coverage and well over one million petitioners calling to stop the killing, progress is being made. (AP Images for Human Society International)

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - A man on a motorbike sells dogs in cages in Yulin Big Market on Sunday, June 21, 2015 in Yulin, China. The Yulin âdog meat festivalâ is underway around the summer solstice in China. Thousands of dogs, many of them stolen pets, were trucked in from around the country by traders wanting to profit. After suffering for days crammed into cages without food or water, the animals were butchered within sight of each other. Humane Society International, working with local activists, is making major inroads to stop the cruelty, and local authorities are feeling the pressure. Between large protests, international media coverage and well over one million petitioners calling to stop the killing, progress is being made. (AP Images for Human Society International)

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - Two men throw dogs into cages in Yulin Big Market on Sunday, June 21, 2015 in Yulin, China. The Yulin âdog meat festivalâ is underway around the summer solstice in China. Thousands of dogs, many of them stolen pets, were trucked in from around the country by traders wanting to profit. After suffering for days crammed into cages without food or water, the animals were butchered within sight of each other. Humane Society International, working with local activists, is making major inroads to stop the cruelty, and local authorities are feeling the pressure. Between large protests, international media coverage and well over one million petitioners calling to stop the killing, progress is being made. (AP Images for Human Society International)

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - Humane Society Internationalâs China specialist, Peter Li, visited dog meat markets and slaughterhouses in Yulin, where locals consume dog and cat meat to observe the summer solstice (21 June). HSI has been working with local groups to end this suffering in China. Although some slaughterhouses remain in operation, the dog meat trade is in decline. In this image, released on Tuesday June 2, 2015, at 6am on May 26th, a group of cats from Sichuan Province arrive at Renmin Middle Road on a truck, and wait to be transported on carts to a slaughterhouse in a narrow alley. (AP Images for Humane Society International)

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - Humane Society Internationalâs China specialist, Peter Li, visited dog meat markets and slaughterhouses in Yulin, where locals consume dog and cat meat to observe the summer solstice (21 June). HSI has been working with local groups to end this suffering in China. Although some slaughterhouses remain in operation, the dog meat trade is in decline. In this image, released on Tuesday June 2, 2015, a cat climbs up the cage at the slaughterhouse, trying to escape. This cat was later rescued by Peter Li. (AP Images for Humane Society International)

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - Humane Society Internationalâs China specialist, Peter Li, visited dog meat markets and slaughterhouses in Yulin, where locals consume dog and cat meat to observe the summer solstice (21 June). HSI has been working with local groups to end this suffering in China. Although some slaughterhouses remain in operation, the dog meat trade is in decline. In this image, released on Tuesday June 2, 2015, hundreds of pet dogs await their own death in a slaughterhouse, while they watch as their companions are slaughtered in front of them. (AP Images for Humane Society International)

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - Two men pull dogs into the slaughterhouse at Dongkou Market on Sunday, June 21, 2015 in Yulin, China. In the early morning hours of June 21st, a large truck carrying hundreds of dogs packed into tiny cages, arrived at the market. The dogs were unloaded from the truck and moved to a larger cage so crowded they had to stand on top of one another. In this cage, they were beaten by a man with a club, as they tried to escape. After this, the dogs were taken one by one to a room to be killed, and then moved to an alley where they were boiled and torched to burn off their hair. The Yulin âdog meat festivalâ is underway around the summer solstice in China. Thousands of dogs, many of them stolen pets, were trucked in from around the country by traders wanting to profit. After suffering for days crammed into cages without food or water, the animals were butchered within sight of each other. Humane Society International, working with local activists, is making major inroads to stop the cruelty, and local authorities are feeling the pressure. Between large protests, international media coverage and well over one million petitioners calling to stop the killing, progress is being made. (AP Images for Human Society International)

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - In this image released on Monday, June 30, 2014, dogs being sold as meat arrive in Yulin crammed in narrow cages that can be stacked on big trucks during transports of as much as 700 miles that leave dogs sick, dehydrated and sometimes dead. The cages can also be flipped on their slides to fit on the back of motorbikes. When Yulin blocked big trucks from entering the city, dog traders appear to have unloaded their trucks and transported dogs the remaining distance on motorbikes and in pickups. (AP Images for Humane Society International) CHINA OUT

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - Humane Society Internationalâs China specialist, Peter Li, visited dog meat markets and slaughterhouses in Yulin, where locals consume dog and cat meat to observe the summer solstice (21 June). HSI has been working with local groups to end this suffering in China. Although some slaughterhouses remain in operation, the dog meat trade is in decline. In this image, released on Tuesday June 2, 2015, at 7am on May 26th, a woman on her moped transports more than 10 dogs, which had just been slaughtered, to her market shop for sale. (AP Images for Humane Society International)

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - In this image released on Monday, June 30, 2014, dogs await slaughter behind a restaurant in Yulin. In past years, dogs were killed in the street, but this year, they were slaughtered in secret. âNow we have to do it as though we are thieves,â a restaurant owner told a Chinese TV station. An estimated 10 million dogs are eaten each year in China. About 10,000 of these used to be slaughtered for the Yulin dog meat festival. This year far fewer died because animal welfare activists from across China arrived to protest and rescue as many animals as they could. (AP Images for Humane Society International) CHINA OUT

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - In this image released on Monday, June 30, 2014, dogs brought for slaughter wait on the back of a motorbike in Yulin, one day before the cityâs June 21st dog meat festival. An estimated 10 million dogs are eaten each year in China. About 10,000 of these used to be slaughtered for the Yulin dog meat festival. This year far fewer died because animal welfare activists from across China arrived to protest and rescue as many animals as they could. (AP Images for Humane Society International) CHINA OUT

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - Humane Society Internationalâs China specialist, Peter Li, visited dog meat markets and slaughterhouses in Yulin, where locals consume dog and cat meat to observe the summer solstice (21 June). HSI has been working with local groups to end this suffering in China. Although some slaughterhouses remain in operation, the dog meat trade is in decline. In this image, released on Tuesday June 2, 2015, a trader cleans de-haired dogs and cats. The dog on top was apparently a pet slaughtered for food, given the breed. (AP Images for Humane Society International)

IMAGE DISTRIBUTED FOR HUMANE SOCIETY INTERNATIONAL - In this image released on Monday, June 30, 2014, butchered dogs are washed behind a restaurant in Yulin, a day before the cityâs June 21st dog meat festival. An estimated 10 million dogs are eaten each year in China. About 10,000 of these used to be slaughtered for the Yulin dog meat festival. This year far fewer died because animal welfare activists from across China arrived to protest and rescue as many animals as they could. (AP Images for Humane Society International) CHINA OUT